the war of running dogs

Another famous historical half-fiction novel that spells our war against communism was Noel Barber’s The War of Running Dogs. The book covered the Emergency time from   1948  to 1960, narrates critical period of abolishing the indoctrination of communism  by the British and throbbing moment in giving independent to Malaya. Basically,  I would say the  book served as British version how their  heroic protagonist’s mind had managed get rid the ‘running dogs’ from success od dominating Malaya to establish Republic of Communism.   Malaya was every one  dream due to her rubber and mining lucrative. From Dutch  to Japan then British and now communist always dearing for the resources with lusting revenues that be delved with soil. Jap in their struggles to fund their prolong wars saw Malaya as their great opportunity and   need  be secured as possible soon. The Jap a triumphantly  seized  the whole peninsular within unbelievable two months. But they don’t stay long when the British made comeback after the bombing of Nagasaki and Hiroshima which undermine overall of their effort.

Chinese people whose the majority  of communist members, initially had worked together with British  as alliance in disrupting and disparate jap effort to seize Malaya. But the plot gone awry when jap surrendered,   both former British and Chinese cooperative became rival of each other. British themselves who  have trained the guerrilla fighters have to  pay back the dissident and resistance from their own recruits.   The MPAJA which later known, had their own set of doctrine to spread the empire of communism in South East Asia, but the  British cunning make decision letting Malaya for independent to further curbing  the spread communism influence in the peninsular.

The book basically depicting British’s heroic characters  on  how they defeated the communist guerrillas  within the span of 12 years. In the early chapter saw how the heat of crisis rising with reluctant and easy going personality  of Sir Edward Gent as High Commissioner . He become realised shortly before 8 am on Jun 1948  when three young Chinese communists burst into the office of a large Malayan rubber plantation in Sungai Siput  and shot the  manager , Arthur Walker at point blank range. Later was another incident that claimed  the life of John Alison , also a estate manager by twelve armed men, left Gent with untenable upsurge  situation of Malaya. Communists were getting reinforced to launch  all out war against British to put Malaya on their own hand.

Gurney Decision

Incoming successor was Sir Henry Gurney, who had foresight how to win the war, made profound decision that were to change not only the conduct of the war but the world’s thinking and policies when faced with communist insurgency. His first and prime decision was  that no armed forces have control of the war, he advocated that  the war in Malaya was war of political ideologies. The need was armed support for a political war, not political support for army war. Gurney  said that too many tools would not finish the job and he undermines to satisfy any amy chief. He strengthened the police force by appointed col Nicoll Gray,  a gallant DSO who worked with him in Palestine before. He added far reaching measures into effect by the police could now detain suspects without any trial up to two years. He then set a system of rewards with killing and capture Chin Peng which worth $80,000. Later he made compulsory for every citizen to register their identification card for further control. Chin Peng quite slow to realise  that gurney had early plan to resettle the squatter , which later become benchmark approach to undermined the communists. Unfornately Gurney was ambushed at Gap , strike that consider unplanned  by the communists. His Rolls Royce were viciously shattered by communist’s Bren guns. True facts that he was also joined with his wife and son in the vehicle. At the moment rain of bullets were shot, Gurney had  at sudden exit the vehicle run towards adjacent cliff. It was weird decision but later realise it was for the  purpose of  diverting  the line of fire from the Royce to him in order to protect his family in the vehicle.

Brigs plan

In order to erect new villages in resettling squatters there are alarming need for  authority or  special powers to implement, a power that could call on civilian or army. British also find that they are in the middle of built up troubles with no Higher Commissioner could handle the government, the country  and  importantly deal with Sultan on land matters.  Sir Harold Briggs came down to Malaya after been in Burma, seems a man who understand the whole situation and also passionately belief that this was a war to win people more than a war to kill them. He  firmly saw that this is  a war of ideologies. Over the dinner with Thomson, the Secretary for Defence, Briggs believed the whole key  to the war lies in getting control of the squatter areas.  He reaffirms that the people are uppermost , but we can’t expect any support from the people you unable to protect. Briggs  dictate what all he wanted to organize – a small supervisory staff to coordinate work, ministries, police and army got to do their own job but he will coordinate every steps and actions by pick up things that go wrong and supervise. Without any delay he draft out the directives to get the balls rolling.

These emergency derive to the well known decisive Briggs plan. He underline the  vitals in conducting the war , firstly to dominate the populated area to built the feeling of complete security. Secondly Briggs concerns the need to break up communist organization within the population areas  by isolate their food and information supply.Lastly destroying the bandits by forcing them to attack on security force ground. Briggs confidently believed with all these essentials, the communist guerrillas would be like a fish out of water, gasps helplessly until he dies. Briggs immediately formed a small War Council  consisting himself, the administration heads , police, army and RAF. Policies were planned and everyone had a part to play because it is  civilians wars and all need a very tight coordination. Ideas were shared and Brigss brought the concept of joint thinking to produce good resolution  to present up to federal war council to be approved. After resettlement site had been identified and agreed , surveyors drawn the plan and each area  and had provision for police posts, school, a clinic and luxury of electricity and water stand pipes.

Briggs  then add another task to security force to hold various inspection points of long lists of restricted items. Cars were stopped, belts were undone even underneath of car engines. The main objective was rice  for the rice was both the strength  and weaknesses of CT. True fact that when the CT who were denied rice for the long time suffered physically and morally. Until then each soldier becoming amateur custom officer .This later known as Operation Starvation,  zeroing to undermine the CT will to fight.

The Supremo Templer

The next successor of High commissioner was  infamous Sir Gerald Templar, British would know how Malaya  would be handled by this unconventional  man of coloured  Field Marshal. He breaks the tradition of previous High commissioner by dealing all matter seriously fierce manner and never take for granted even tiny of people welfare. Templer’s decisions were firm and bold any his instructions always means now without a delay. He always be quoted as saying ‘ if you are incompetent  , I sent you and replace thrice man better than you’. He wanted those work under him to unite and working as a team by no one above another. He refused to differentiate  and in fury voice he would scowled to Britons at all white lake club in Kuala Lumpur,’ there no such bloody thing as colour bar, British boys, Rhodesians, Gurkhas, Africans and Fijians are risking their life aside by side with Malaya, Chinese and Indians. The men see the real enemy in communism and they also clearly see their real friend.’ He won the admiration of local people.

Templer spent little time in his office, he wanted things done and done quickly, hate most of wolly kind of thinking. He refurbished State and district War Committee in new level after seeing ineffective and valueless. He knew that civilians, soldiers and police would never agreeable. Templer started the system of  Red Minute,  he never procrastinate on every evening after visiting trip sites and considering to complaints , would landed at his office to start write brief notes demanding instant actions to be carried out. Templer believed that  he got to offer the people in trouble a big carrot, and he had something big offer to Malaya , ‘ You should have independent if you help me to get rid of the communists’. Templer got all his power to control military operations, police and civilian servants and uttered the need of first class intelligent service with widest power possible. He urgent museum director on meeting and direct to brighten up the propaganda to people bearing the believes of famous slogan ‘the battle for the hearts and mind of the people. His deep conviction that Malaya Independent would be success if the nation were united, and create way of life Malaya, not the British or American way but must be Malaya way of life.

Templer visited schools, hospitals, received delegations while working eighteen hours a day and minded to bring women to contribute by starting women institution , new red cross branches and community centres. He expanded police force and by the tine more than 40000 regular troops recruited and request 120 armoured cars, 250 scouts cars and 600 armoured personal carrier. He desperately train the officers to ensure their competency to handle the emergency. He enforced curfew by allow the people only can leave their home from noon to 2 am. Templer first few months marked sharp drop in the incidents and reaped the benefits of improved public image.

Grand finale

After almost major vast of malaya peninsular are declared as white area, the emergency was to end in the middle of 1960. During the last three years of the war, more roads were build, more jungles are cleared, bridges and water system constructed, school and hospital started. Tunku Abdul Rahman, our father of independent louded that we were not fighting the communist terror with arms alone, we went a long way to win the hearts and mind of our people, we gave people more than the communists could ever hope to give. Chin Peng has to admit he was loosing the battle and issue directives to all his member that they can apply to leave the jungle in any conditions. Eventually all restrictions were lifted and marked by greatest victory parade in Kuala Lumpur on 31 July 1960.

The success of the war of heart and minds signicantly crush the establishment of Communists dictatorship in Malaya, South East Asia as  a whole. It’s a war that cost life of 1865 security force, while civilians claimed of 2560 wounded , 2473 murdered and 810 missing.  War was  won collectively among Malay , British and Malayan Chinese that strive the brilliant plan to combat against  Mao Tse Tung’s  classic guerrillas tactic.  Not forgetting individual of high leadership  like Gurney, Briggs, Templer and Tunku.